what the heck is this and how do i get rid of it?

julieinbeltonNovember 5, 2012

These things are growing all over my yard and being tracked through my house. I can't let my 4 month old play on the floor for fear of getting poked.Ã¯Â¿Â½we have a 1/2 acre and they are everywhere. My neighbors don't seem to have these in their yards. They grow on a short stem and produce these little seed like poky things.

Looks a bit like a cluster of seedpods of Goatheads (Tribulus terrestris), but you would probably already know about this horrid plant. A pic of the plant itself would definitely help someone identify it for you.

Almost forgot the how to get rid of part... If it IS goatheads, they thrive on disturbed, often compacted soil, and are strictly a warm season annual, so pulling them before they set seed is good for control. Some people torch them, if weather conditions permit. They can be really bad one year, then gone the next, dependent on the moisture regimes and seed sources. Limited bare, disturbed soil is probably the only long term no weeding solution to minimizing their growth.

We have them too on our new property and I called into an organic gardening show for advice. He said they are the weakest of plants and the best way to get rid if them is to get your grass to flourish and they will be squeezed out. A good organic program for your grass is the key. A stopgap measure is to drag a burlap bag around the yard (maybe behind the mower) to pick up the burrs until your grass can choke them out. I started the organic program late last summer when we got the property and so far this year it seems much better. Hope this helps.

Yeah, they're the 'dune bouncers.' If the sign doesn't stop you from climbing the dunes, the sand spurs should. There's also a cute little plant with white flower that 'bites' if you touch it though it doesn't LOOK prickly at all. You'll wish you'd stepped on sand spurs if you find that with your foot!